How Selma's Teachers Changed History
Starred review from August 24, 2020
Donating a portion of their proceeds to institutions in Selma, Ala., the married coauthors present a vivid nonfiction narrative that illuminates the January 1965 Teachers’ March to Selma’s Dallas County Courthouse. By highlighting and interweaving the journeys of a few specific people—Rev. F.D. Reese, who led marchers to register to vote; Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who visited Selma to speak on voting rights; and Too Sweet, a teacher and single mother who joined the march—the Wallaces eloquently portray the vitality of the group effort as well as the high risk involved in participating in the initial and subsequent Selma marches. Abstract, multilayered acrylic paintings by Palmer ground readers in the action, such as a moving scene in which lines of teachers march. This well-researched picture book proves riveting in its telling of how everyday heroes led a fight that resulted in the Voting Rights Act. Back matter includes creators’ notes, a timeline, a selected bibliography, and further resources. Ages 7–10.